Kitanihon Shipyard Kuji

Kitanihon Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. is a Japanese shipbuilder founded in 1969 and headquartered in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, with newbuilding docks there and block fabrication plants at Kitanuma, Toyosu and Kuji. The Kuji plant in Kuji City, Iwate Prefecture, established in 2006, is the group's largest site by area and handles panel/parts fabrication, block assembly, corrugated bulkhead production and blasting for hulls that are later erected in the Hachinohe docks. The company builds chemical tankers, refrigerated cargo carriers, bulk carriers, LPG tankers, RO/RO and general cargo vessels for Japanese and overseas owners, with recent deliveries including a 40,000 DWT chemical tanker and 630,000 CFT reefer carriers. It employs around 1,600 people including partner companies and is a member of the Cooperative Association of Japan Shipbuilders (Japan Small and Medium-sized Shipbuilders' Association).

The Kuji plant is one of four establishments of Kitanihon Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (北日本造船株式会社), a shipbuilder established in April 1969 with headquarters in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture. Set up in 2006 and progressively expanded, the Kuji works is the company's largest site by area and concentrates on steel fabrication and block assembly feeding the newbuilding docks at the Hachinohe head office yard. Company activities cover shipbuilding, manufacture and sale of structural metal products, civil engineering works and shipping. Staff number about 1,600 including partner companies, and the group describes itself as the largest-scale shipyard in eastern Japan north of the Kanto region.

Services

Newbuilding design, planning, procurement and production control
Steel cutting, forming and block assembly; pipe and outfitting fabrication
Blasting and painting, hull erection, sea trials and delivery
Research and development of environmentally focused vessels, including LNG- and ammonia-fuelled ship studies

Facilities

Kuji plant: total site area 130,154 m², building area 36,658 m²
No.1 and No.2 internal fabrication shops with laser and plasma cutting machines, section cutters, T-longi automatic welding and straightening equipment, angle benders and 700 t hydraulic press
No.1 and No.2 block assembly shops with submerged arc welding units, a 12-electrode automatic welder, welding robot, floor-operated cranes and 51 t + 51 t cranes; 150 t travelling jib crane
Corrugated bulkhead shop with 2,000 t hydraulic press and plasma cutters
Eight blasting shops, two 200 t block transporters, and the tug/pusher "No.12 Kitanihon Maru" (820 PS)
Group facilities at Hachinohe include a 36,000 GT No.1 building dock (200 m x 38 m), a 15,000 GT No.2 dock and 200 m outfitting quays, plus block and piping shops at the Kitanuma and Toyosu plants

Vessel Types

Chemical tankers (including a 40,000 DWT super-eco design)
Refrigerated cargo carriers (600,000–630,000 CFT types)
Bulk carriers and LPG tankers
RO/RO and general cargo ships

Location

Kuji plant: 74-15, Dai-8 Chiwari Heiguchi, Natsui-cho, Kuji City, Iwate 028-0001, Japan (Tel. 0194-52-8851)
Head office: 3-1-25 Koyo, Hachinohe City, Aomori 031-0801, Japan